[All photos and opinions are my own unless stated otherwise. All links are non-affiliated. All prices were correct at time of writing. Prices may vary at time of reading.]

A area that has seen a huge infux of tourists in the past few years, Lake Bled has become a popular bucketlist destination. Located near the Julian Alps in the north-west of Slovenia, Lake Bled is a sight for sore eyes. It's an area full of beauty, and not just because of it's natural scenery, as the friendly people are also what make Slovenia such as beaufiul country to visit. During my 4.5 days in Slovenia I spent time exploring the best things that Bled has to offer, so here are my top 8 things to do if you're ever at Lake Bled.

1. Walk around Lake Bled

One of the first things I did after arriving in Bled was walk around the lake. It's a great way to stretch out your legs after a day of travelling and only takes around 2 hours. During this walk you can enjoy views of the island, church and castle from many angles and find out the best spots if you want to spend another day relaxing by the lake.

Lake Bled at dusk

2. Stand-up paddleboard to Bled Island

I was lucky enough to meet another solo traveller at my hostel who asked if I wanted to go stand-up paddleboarding with her and I'm so glad that I did! Using the paddleboards, we went to Bled Island, the only island in Slovenia, where we entered the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria and climbed to the top of the bell tower for a cost of €6 for adults and €4 for students that have valid student ID.

Unfortunately, I can't find the name of the company we used but it was located right below Bled Castle near the Castle Bathing Area. Hiring the paddleboards cost around €15 per hour but we spent about an hour and a half on the paddleboards. However, as we went towards the end of the tourist season, the owner was happy for us to use the paddleboards for an extra half hour for no extra cost.

Paddleboarding back from Bled Island

Once inside the church, it's possible to ring the bell and make a wish. Legend has it that anyone who can make the bell ring exactly three times will have their wish granted. If paddleboarding isn't for you then it is possible to get across in a pletna, a style of boat made and traditionally used by locals from Bled. This costs around €14 for an adult return.

Pletna boats on Lake Bled

3. Velika Osojnica viewpoint

One of my favourite places near Lake Bled was the viewpoint at Velika Osojnica. Whilst it's lesser known than Mala Osojnica and Ojstrica, I preferred this viewpoint as it was less crowded and I had it entirely to myself for sunset for two nights in a row! The other two viewpoints were lower down the mountain and as a result they were crowded at sunset. It takes about 20-30 minutes to get to Ojstrica but it's worth walking further up the steep path for another 20 minutes to reach the higher viewpoint. There's nothing better than being able to appreciate a beautiful view alone at sunset, allowing you to reflect and appreciate the good things in life.

The path begins on the west side of the lake near the Bled Camping Restaurant. Be warned the path is very steep in some places and as far as I'm aware there is no alternative for people with mobility issues. However, if you can make it to the top it'll be so worth it!

Admiring Lake Bled from Velika Osojnica at sunset

4. Vintgar Gorge

Another one of the big attractions near Lake Bled is Vintgar Gorge. It opens at 7am during the tourist season and I recommend going early to avoid the crowds. It's possible to walk to the gorge from Lake Bled, with the route starting at the main bus station near Bled Castle. The start of the route takes you along the road but eventually you end up on a scenic path through fields, traditional Slovenian villages and woodland, all whilst being able to see the Julian Alps around you.

When I was in Bled, I got up at 6am and walked to the gorge to arrive at 7am. As I left early, I was also able to watch the sunrise over the Julian Alps. I was the first one at the gorge that day and had the gorge mostly to myself but by about 7.30am a lot more visitors had already arrived. The gorge itself is beautiful with clear blue water and small rushing waterfalls.

It's possible to enter the gorge from two ends, so I decided to enter through one way and leave the other, so that I could walk back to Bled via a slightly different route. Personally, I don't think I would have enjoyed the experience as much if I went during the day with more tourists around as the paths are quite narrow.

If walking isn't for you then it's also possible to drive there from Bled in around 10 minutes or there is a shuttle bus that runs from Bled during the peak tourist season, which costs €10 for a return. Entry costs €10 for adults and €6 for students with valid student ID. Bear in mind that if you drive, you'll have to pay extra for parking.

Vintgar Gorge

Vintgar Gorge

5. Ljubljana

If you're in Slovenia, then chances are you arrived in Ljubljana. I recommend at least a day here if you're in Slovenia's capital as the city is beautiful, especially the Old Town, where you can see the River Ljubljanica and the many quaint bridges that the city is known for. The Old Town is full of cafe's, where you can relax, and shops where you can buy traditional, handmade items. From what I've heard the castle isn't worth visiting but it's worth walking up to it as you get views over the whole city. The city is very green outside of the Old Town and reflects the Slovenian people's appreciation of nature. Tivoli Park, the largest park in the country, was my favourite place in the city. Sadly, I only had half a day to explore Ljubljana on my travels but wish I could have spent at least another few hours there.

Ljubljana Old Town

Tivoli Park

6. Bohinj Lake

About a 45-minute bus ride or 30-minute drive from Lake Bled is its lesser known sister, Lake Bohinj, Slovenia's largest lake. Whilst it may not have an iconic island in the centre of it, Lake Bohinj is still a beautiful place to visit and generally has less tourists as well. Surrounding the lake are several hiking trails which lead into the Julian Alps as well as to Savica Waterfall. Hiking around the lake takes about 4 to 5 hours but the scenery is stunning and there are many peaceful areas to stop at along the way. When I went to Bohinj I was there for a couple of days and had a spell of bad weather for the entirety of my time there but despite this, along with Lake Bled, it's still one of my favourite places that I've ever visited. You can check out my favourite things to do around Lake Bohinj here.

Lake Bohinj and the Julian Alps

Calm reflections in Lake Bohinj

7. Bled Castle

Dating back to the 11th century, Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. Located on a hill above Lake Bled, it boasts views of the entire lake and the surrounding mountains. The castle itself is easy to access by either a 15-minute walk from the main bus station or a short ride by car or shuttle bus. The castle is fun to explore and you can learn much more about the history of Lake Bled and the surrounding area. Tickets cost €13 for adults and €8.50 for students with valid student ID.

Bled Castle

8. Swim in the lake

One of the easiest things to do in Bled is to swim in the lake. Whilst many areas around the lake prohibit swimming, it's possible to pay to enter the Castle bathing area, whic is located below Bled Castle. This is an enclosed area in the lake designated for swimming and contains a slide or two for kids. This costs around €6 per adult for an afternoon but it costs extra to use some of the inflatables. Therefore, I would suggest heading to the west side of the lake where it's possible to swim in a couple of areas in the lake for free. I found this particularly refreshing after paddleboarding and a day of hiking.

Bled Island and the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria

Where To Stay

I stayed in the Back Hostel whilst I was in Bled and I couldn't recommend this hostel enough! It's definitely one of the nicest hostels I've stayed in. The hostel is run by a local family, who were so friendly and kind! It's a relatively small hostel but has a shared kitchen, super comfy beds (which is rare for a hostel!) and it's very clean as well. Despite being located above a pub, noise was never a problem. This hostel is also ideally located about a 10-minute walk from the main bus stop, Bled Castle and the lake itself. I visited in early September and was lucky enough to have a 4-bed dorm room entirely to myself during my final night in Bled, which felt like luxury!

Despite booking this hostel only a few hours before I arrived, the hostel was reasonably priced at around €16 per night. However, this was in September when the tourist season was starting to die down. Following on from this, I would definitely recommend visiting in September when there are less tourists and the weather is still pleasant.

If you're booking a hostel or hotel and are hoping to walk to the lake, then make sure to book your accommodation in Bled rather than Lesce Bled, which is about an hour's walk from the lake. This was the mistake I initially made, which required me to rebook my accommodation last minute after discovering this issue on the coach from Italy to Slovenia. However, if this hadn't happened, I wouldn't have met the other solo travellers at the lovely Back Hostel.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist on the walk back from Vintgar Gorge

Overall, I loved every minute of my stay in Bled and I can't recommend it enough as a travel destination. The people are so friendly and along with the lakes and mountains, it has everything nature lovers could ask for. Unfortunately, I only spent two days in Bled and two days in Bohinj but I wish I had more time to hike and explore the Julian Alps as well as the rest of Slovenia because there is no doubt that Slovenia has more to offer.